Sheffield Wednesday’s players believe that the 5-2 victory against Reading will be a turning point in their season, says Michail Antonio.

The winger, one of the men who played a major role in the club’s first win of the campaign, also insists that the squad never doubted their ability.

“Football is unpredictable but we believe this is our turning point; from now on we can start riding the league and distance ourselves from the relegation zone,” he said.

He rated his and the team’s performance as the best of the campaign.

“I managed to get a goal and two assists and we finally got the win we have been looking for,” he said.

“It’s massively important. Now we need to kick on and start riding the league. Hopefully we can win more and see where we end up at the end of the season.

“We have the ability to go anywhere in this league, mid-table, promotion, but things have just not been going our way. This showed, 5-2 against an ex-Premier League team, that we have the ability, we can do it,”

Strikers Matty Fryatt and Connor Wickham made a big impression with Fryatt scoring twice and Wickham netting in his first game since rejoining the club.

Antonio said he enjoyed playing with Wickham again: “He’s a big man; he’s got good awareness; he knows where people are, so he finds you; and he makes good runs, like when I played him in.”

The winger says that the squad have never feared for their Championship safety: “Even though we hadn’t won a game, none of the boys has spoken about relegation.

“We’ve believed that as soon as we get the first three points, we’re going to keep winning and get as high as possible, like last season.”

He also says that he has never perceived any threat to Dave Jones’ job during the recent run: “We believe the gaffer’s position is secure. You must have seen (in Saturday’s game) that we all believe in each other and we all believe in the gaffer.”

Antonio admitted that he was spurred by the fact that he was playing against his former club: “You want to perform and show what they’re missing; but now I’m here at Sheffield Wednesday and hopefully I’m doing the business here.”